[Blessings2You]

I've been taking quinine for nocturnal muscle spasms for years. When the FDA banned it for that use in the US, I started getting it in Canada. I was splitting the tablets and taking 75 mg at bedtime. Either it was working or it had an awesome placebo effect, because it GREATLY reduced the leg cramps. Greatly.

It's no longer available in tablet form. The lowest dosage of capsules is 200 mg, and I'm concerned about increasing the dosage.

Does anyone take baclofen or zanaflex or something else for muscle spasms? Is it something you take to prevent spasms, or when you actually have them? I don't see my doc for a few more weeks, and thought I'd get some input here before I talk to him.

[barb02]

When I was on baclofen, I had to take it everyday. I was up to 60 mg and it was not helping. I do not think you are supposed to take it on an as needed basis. I only took zanaflex for two weeks. It seemed to be helping a bit, but it also caused nausea and stomach issues. Or at least I thought it did. I could have just been experiencing a colitis attack, but I was not dx with colitis at the time. My neuro seemed skeptical that it was causing my problems. In retrospect, perhaps he was right.

[gpridgen46]

I am on bacoflen and it seems to help - I take 10 mg at night and all my other doses are at 5mg. If I take the 10 - out like a light!!! Though I would say that I am in more pain the last few days - though I think I am having an episode, so I will not count these days.

And you do have to take it daily -every 6 hours, or what the dr prescribes for the best effect.

Geri

[Debbie D]

I take zanaflex daily to prevent spasticity...it works most of the time. I am ordered to take the capsules. I tried the generic tablets and it didn't work nearly as well.
Baclofen did nothing to prevent or lessen the spasticity I experience. And occasionally the zanaflex capsules don't do the trick either, and I experience terrible pain from the spasms. But most of the time it does it's job.